Word

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others. 

Phil 2:3,4

It's time to put your blinders on kids!

How many times have you had a conversation with a friend that sounded similar to this?

Let's have lunch!

I'd love to do lunch.... when?

Ok check your calendar and I'll check mine.  I'll call you this week.....

Did you ever really call the friend back?  Did your possible lunch date fall through the cracks?

It's so easy with our schedules these days to let things get in the way of our relationships with friends, relatives, spouses, children.......and God.  

It's time to put the blinders on!

If we take our focus off our Lord and Saviour we start getting ahead of God, we lose sight of our purpose in ministry, we stop attending church and feeding our souls with His word, we stop listening for Him to speak to us.

It's time to put the blinders on!

There's a hymn called "Like A River Glorious"....the chorus has always stuck with me......
Stayed upon Jehovah

Hearts are fully blessed

Finding as He promised

Perfect peace and rest.

If we will put our blinders on and "stay ourselves upon Jehovah" He promises us perfect peace and rest.  I don't know about you, but when I am in constant prayer, study and focus mode EVERYTHING in my life is better.

It's time to put the blinders on!

Thankful, Sheryl

HAVE YOU TOLD ALL YOUR FRIENDS.....

ABOUT US? 

We want you to talk about us....The Rescue Ministries is very much up, going, alive, serving and we need you to help us get the word out.  So many great things are happening because of God's mighty hand.  Let's tell more people!

Direct them here to learn more about everyday happenings and events.  Direct them to our website to become a sponsor or make a donation.  Direct them to me if you'd like and I will answer questions as best I can.

We want to raise awareness about why we are called to Cebu......living conditions of children and families in the Philippines, street children being victimized in every possible way, giving hope to the hopeless.  We want more sponsors so that we can afford to accomodate more children at WHY.  We want more people talking about us!

Emily

Since our introduction of Emily much has changed for her.  Emily has graduated high school and has been accepted into college!  What an incredible accomplishment for this young lady who had been living on the streets and barely surviving.  

For us in the US it is fairly commonplace to graduate high school, to go on to college....

I recently spoke with a wonderful young lady who is in the decision phase of where to apply to college.  No question she will go, just doesn't know where.  We are so blessed to have these opportunities that to others around the world are considered luxuries.

Fortunately the Wesley Home for Youth doesn't end at high school graduation.  We plan to keep Emily in our WHY family until she is finished with her education.  She plans to become a teacher and return to the community she is from to offer her skills and resources in hopes of breaking the cycle of poverty for other children.

Emily is need of a committed sponsor in order to help with her education and physical needs.  Please pray about supporting her.  Join us today!

Thankful, Sheryl

Sponsors!

We are still in need of sponsors for the children at Wesley Home.....If you are not already involved with The Rescue Ministries financially I hope you will consider joining our efforts.  Small amounts become large sums when we work together. 

I know that times are tough financially in our country, in our communities.....but we have so much....we are blessed even in the times of struggle. Consider joining with your Sunday School class, small group, a group of friends, a group of co-workers. If you have 4 friends, each giving $2 per week = $32 each month. That money could feed a child for an entire month!

This is the home of my friend Juvylyn.  She is a young girl living with her family in the dumpsite.  No covering for a door, dirt floors, no beds. 

Juvylyn is a beautiful girl, but it is seldom that you see her with a smile on her face and she rarely makes eye contact.  She has SO LITTLE self confidence, self-worth that she covers her face if she smiles even just a little.  Juvylyn touched my heart when she listened and watched as I gave my own broken testimony.  I believe she found it hard to understand an American having any type of struggles.  Philipinos believe we are perfect people with perfect lives.  I want them to know that we are imperfect people with a perfect God.

Consider children like Juvylyn, and others whose names are known only to our Father.  Take a chance, reach out to those around the world.....They may be far away, but their pain is real and they need to know the love of God.

Matthew 25:40

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Thankful, Sheryl

Word

Today, I feel a bit weary.....in my body, in my spirit. 

I'm so ready for the end of the school year, ready to return to the Philippines, hoping it is soon that we can move our family there, not liking myself when I am grumpy mama and wife, praying for strength of body, mind and spirit.....

So I felt this scripture appropriate to share with you.  I hope you will draw strength from The Word.

Galatians 6

9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Thankful, Sheryl

Right or Wrong?

Have you ever stood up for something you believe to be right?

Were you standing alone?

Sometimes it takes that one brave soul standing up for what's right to give others the courage to stand with them.  That lone soul stands feeling a little lonely, a lot scared and very insecure.  But that soul stands......believing.  Believing Christ will sustain them.

These days, even in churches worldwide, Christians lose sight of Christ, of what is right and true.  We lose sight of why we even attend church, why and what we teach our children about Jesus, why we reach out to others.  Some go to church out of habit, some go to be with their friends, others go to be seen as "good".

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Our world is terribly cluttered and it is MUCH easier to float along in our little boat, still, not making any waves.  Not facing change, not looking a challenge square in the eye.  But we must row against the tide, go against the normalness of society, we must make sacrifices.  Change is good, but it sure is uncomfortable and can even be ugly. 

2 Corinthians 4
1Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

People may see us as the enemy when we stand for the right.  We may feel "pressed on every side", but we will not be destroyed.  God is in control.

I pray today that you and I will be standing in our own corners of this wretched world for Jesus....and standing only to further His kingdom.  To give Him glory for what is accomplished through His jars of clay.

Thankful, Sheryl

Just Another Sunset

I am currently reading the book, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Donald Miller.  Today I read this:

"We all are like spoiled children no longer impressed with gifts we're given - its just another sunset, just another rainstorm moving in over the mountain, just another child being born, just another funeral."

I would encourage you today to be thankful for EVERY gift whether in nature, transportation, physical health, wealth, even down to the socks on your feet.  We have so much! 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Thankful, Sheryl

Word

A word of scripture for today..... selfishly pointed at myself for opening my mouth when I should have kept it shut.

Psalm 19
12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Thankful, Sheryl

Questions

Dear Followers and Visitors,

This blog would be pointless if no one were reading it!  We aren't here to hear ourselves write.....

Did you know that you can make comments about any or all posts on this blog?  Come on people talk to me!  Have any questions that you want answered?  Hit me!  If I don't have an answer I'll get one!  If you aren't listed as a follower, become one today...get the word out.

Thanks for reading and please bring on the comments!
Sheryl

Passionate

I am an easily "picked on" kind of person.  My husband loves this quality and often tells me he loves my passion.  Mostly because when I speak about something that bothers me or excites me, I get a high pitched voice.  He sometimes jokingly asks me, "Why does your voice go up like that?"

What are you passionate about?  A clean house, organized toys, golfing, fishing, annoying drivers.....?  What are you truly passionate about?  Do you let your passion show?

I looked up passionate on Dictionary.com and these are the definitions listed.

Passionate: adjective
1 having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling
2 expressing, showing, or marked by intense or strong feeling
Also listed was the synonym "fervid", so I looked it up as well...the definition was burning, glowing, intensely hot. Wow!

Revelation 3:15-17

15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

It must have have been a passionate act of love when Jesus Christ gave Himself as a living sacrifice to every human being....whether liar, murderer, lesbian, alduterer, thief.  He didn't discriminate with His passion.

Recently I spoke at an event for our mission team. I AM NOT A SPEAKER! But after I spoke, several people said to me that they could really see my "passion"....I used to take my husband's comments as negative...but after some thought, I really want to be known as passionate.  I want people to talk behind my back and know exactly for what I am passionate.  That I have a burning desire to get children off the streets and introduce them to a loving Saviour, my Jesus.

Thankful, Sheryl

My kids are.....

What are your kids like?

Prostitute
Beggar
Dirty
High
Alone
Hungry
Deaf
Rotten teeth
Dropout
Chained
Outcast

Maybe you wouldn't describe your children this way...but when people ask me about the children in the orphange this is exactly how I would describe "my" children. I feel like in a very small way God has brought these children to "me".

I would imagine also that this is precisely how God would describe His children. I fit many of these descriptions when I gave my life to God. I was a prostitute because I gave my body away trying to fill a need....not make it God's temple. I was chained because I allowed my past to hinder my future. I had rotten teeth because my mouth didn't speak of God's love. I was constantly alone although surrounded by people. How about you?

People, it's time to give back. We have SO much, we take SO much for granted! God has cleaned us up, fed our hungry souls and put His tender arms around our broken selves. If I don't keep focused on God it is SO easy to lose sight of His love for me, His will for my life and His beautiful face full of grace.

We still have a child who does not have a committed sponsor....maybe that child is waiting for you to give up something for them.

Thankful, Sheryl